Theatre Under The Stars has announced the cast for the upcoming Houston debut of the Broadway smash hit musical, “Curtains.”
Curtains is scheduled to hit the Hobby Center stage beginning March 29.
Director Mark S. Hoebee said he was “thrilled to be a part of this brilliant musical.”
“Curtains left an impression on Broadway, and I know Houstonians are going to be quite impressed with the cast, the music and the performance this show promises to deliver,” Hoebee said.
Curtains follows the unraveling of a theatre company on opening night shortly after the leading actress is knocked off. Detective Frank Cioffi, a musical theatre fan, takes on the case only to find himself dealing with theatrical egos and eccentricities, deceit, a rising body count and a budding love affair – all while sticking to the golden rule of show business: the show must go on.
A throwback to the Golden Age of Theatre, Curtains will be a musical murder mystery that keeps everyone guessing until the very end.
Robert Newman takes the lead as super sleuth crime solver Lieutenant Frank Cioffi. Newman, a four-time nominee for the Soap Opera Digest awards and two-time Daytime Emmy Awards nominee, is best known for his role as Joshua Lewis in “Guiding Light,” although patrons will also know him from his stage work.
Newman starred in North Carolina Theatre’s “Annie”; Algonquin Theater’s “Sessions, The Musical” and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s “A Little Night Music.” He has also worked extensively in the Los Angeles theatres.
Playing the role of tough-as-nails brassy Broadway producer Carmen Bernstein will be four-time Daytime Emmy winner Kim Zimmer, also of “Guiding Light” fame as the character Reva Shayne. Her theatre experience includes off-Broadway’s “Love, Loss, And What I Wore” and “Four Dogs And A Bone.”
Newman and Zimmer will reunite on stage for Curtains after spending several years as Guiding Light’s on-screen power couple.
Ed Dixon returns to the TUTS stage as the comical, pompous British director Christopher Belling. Audiences will remember Dixon from two previous TUTS productions; he portrayed Thenardier in “Les Misérables” as well as Alfred P. Doolittle in “My Fair Lady.”
Dixon has played in Broadway productions of “Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical,” “Les Misérables” and “The Three Musketeers,” among several others. His national tours include “The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas,” “Pippin” and “Sunset Boulevard.”
Amanda Rose plays Niki Harris, the aspiring Broadway actress who attracts the eye of Cioffi. Rose’s credits include the Broadway production of “Wicked” and the national tours of “Wicked,” “Dr. Doolittle” and “Oklahoma!”
Joining Rose is Kevin Kern, whose theater credits include Broadway’s “Wicked,” “The Wedding Singer” and “Les Misérables” as well as the pre-Broadway runs of “9 to 5: The Musical” and “Next to Normal.” Kern plays Aaron Fox, one half of a songwriting duo; his other half is his separated wife, Georgia Hendricks, played by Helen Anker. Anker made her Broadway debut in the revival of “Promises, Promises” after enjoying recent West End productions of “Beautiful and Damned,” “On The Town” and “Parade.”
Bobby Pepper is played by native Houstonian David Elder, who starred in the original Broadway production of “Curtains” in the same role and boasts credits that include the national tour of “Damn Yankees” and Broadway’s “42nd Street,” “Kiss Me, Kate!” and “Guys and Dolls.” Audiences will remember his turn as J.C. from TUTS’ 2007 production of “Swing!”
Featured in the role of Sidney Bernstein is Daniel Marcus, a stage veteran from Broadway’s “Urinetown,” “1776,” “ Woman In White,” “Pirates of Penzance,” “A Christmas Carol,” “The Apple Tree,” “The Who’s Tommy” and “Cats.”
Playing the part of Daryl Grady is Aaron Galligan-Stierle, whose Broadway background includes “Ragtime” and “Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical.”
Assuming the role of Oscar Shapiro, Dick Decareau brings Broadway experience from both “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “Raggedy Ann” and national tour experience from “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” “Ragtime” and “Annie.”
Rye Mullis, who toured with “Young Frankenstein” and “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” takes the stage as Johnny Harmon.
Alongside him will be Anne Horak as Bambi Bernstein, Carmen’s daughter who is looking to step out from her mother’s shadow and forge her own path on the Great White Way.
Rounding out the ensemble are Monique Alhaddad, Ashley Arcemont, Joshua James Campbell, Lauren DeCierdo, Mathew DeGuzman, Taurean Everett, Becca Kloha, Mary Ann Lamb, Ian Liberto, Patrick O’Neill, Happy McPartlin, Alex Michael Stoll, Molly Tynes, Kyle Vaughn and Dana Winkle.
Based on the original book and concept by Peter Stone and modified by Rupert Holmes, this Broadway gem features the razzle-dazzle musical style of songwriting duo John Kander (music) and Fred Ebb (lyrics), the same pair behind hits like “Cabaret” and “Chicago.” Additional lyrics are by Kander and Holmes.
Director Hoebee also directed the TUTS’ productions of “Victor/Victoria” and “Meet Me In St. Louis.” He has also directed national tours of “Victor/Victoria” starring Grammy winner Toni Tennille, “Dreamgirls” starring Frenchie Davis, “Almost Like Being in Love: An Evening of Lerner and Lowe” starring Diahann Carroll and Company.
When not traveling to direct a show, Hoebee is the Producing Artistic Director for Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ.
Tickets for Curtains start at $24 and are available on-line at TUTS.com, by phone at 713-558-TUTS (8887) or in person at the Theatre Under The Stars Box Office in downtown Houston.
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